beautiful yemenite children

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Beautiful Yemenite Children

Gathering of the Yemenite Clan

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Modern Yemenite Ladies

Yemenite Bride in Traditional Dress

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Chapter 12

Bukharan Jews Uzbekistan

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Brith

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Prayers Wearing Tefillin and Tallit

Bar Mitzvah

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Chapter 13

Kurdish Jews The earliest mass deportation of Hebrews occurred as a result of the Assyrian invasion of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 721 BCE. This event occurred about 173 years before the more well-known Babylonian campaign in Jerusalem dated 597 BCE. As a. result of the forced deportation, the Assyrians assigned the vanquished to remote areas in the northern part of their empire. Today, we know the region as Kurdistan, which overlaps: Anatolia, Eastern Turkey; Northern Syria; Northern Iraq; and Northwestern, Iran. Notably, the Jewish Kurds concentrated in the regions of: Dyarbakir and Van, Anatolia, Turkey; Mosul and Erbil, Iraq; Northwestern Syria; and Northwestern. Iran. Eventually Kurdistan was comprised of a variety of ethnicities, such as the Muslims, Yezidi Christians and Jews. There are 8 dialects of the Kurdish language. It is one homeland sustained by the several ethnicities and languages. Neighbors of Kurdistan have steadfastly denied the Kurds any hope of creating their own nation-state. The Jewish communities of Kurdistan also settled in remote rural villages. Later on, some Jews migrated to large towns and cities, such as: Dyarbakir, Anatolia; Damascus, Syria; and Baghdad, Iraq. After the birth of Mohammed, Kurds mostly became Muslims. In the remote regions, the chiefs of the Muslim tribes/clans regularly protected “their Jews.” In the urban cities, Jews became much more exposed to Anti-Semitism. The Babylonians invaded Northern Israel and as a consequence, many thousands of Hebrews were force marched to Babylon and the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. In 597 BCE, Persian king Cyrus I defeated the Babylonians. Within 50-years, Cyrus permitted Persian Jews to return to their homeland and helped provide funds to rebuild the 2nd Temple.

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Because of their austere isolation in the mountainous regions and rural portions of Kurdistan, Jews retained considerable portions of their ancient traditions, customs, spirituality and superstitions. Except for the merchants, who travelled extensively, they may have been illiterate. However, the spoke Aramaic, the language of the Hebrew Bible, which was written from memory to preserve Judaic Oral Laws that helped to preserve Judaism. Because of escalating anti-Semitism in the Near East, Middle East, Arabia and Africa, the newly created Israeli (1949) decided to airlift Jewish refugees from beleaguered regions of the Middle East. Israel had to accommodate very large numbers of immigrants and to provide for housing, employment, learning the modern Hebrew lingua franca and to arrange for schools for the children. At first, the Israeli public was extremely apprehensive about accepting the overload newly arrived immigrants, many of whom were illiterate, extremely impoverished, and unskilled. Many were in poor health. There were failed attempts to integrate them into Israeli society. Many of the minorities sought discrete ethnic neighborhoods in Jerusalem where they could be immersed in their old culture. It was required that all children attend schools. In a generation, the newly educated youths became professionals, artisans and skilled workers.

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Map Kurdistan

Map Kurdistan, Major Cities Illustrated

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Map of Kurdish Communities in Anatolia

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Rural Transportation

Nomadic Kurdish Encampment

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Plowing Field

Kurdish Goat Herd

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Primitive Rural Village

Public Kurdish Laundry

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Kurdish Village Life

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Kurdish Bride With Her Wealth of Gold Coins

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Kurdish Rabbi 117 Years Of Age

Kurdish Men Attending Synagogue

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Formal Portrait, Kurdish Jewish Couple

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Kurdish Jews of Warsaw, Poland

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Supreme Rabbinical Council, Jerusalem

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Chapter 14

Asian Jews

Jews of India Jews migrated to India in ancient times. There are several claims to the origin of the Indian Jewish communities dating from the time of King Solomon, circa 1,000 BCE, the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, circa 587 BCE, and the Roman conquest of Israel that included the destruction of the 2nd Temple, circa 70 BCE. Perhaps all of the declarations may be correct. During those times of duress in Palestine, Jewish families very likely migrated by both land and sea routes. Simple seafaring vessels may have been used, which for safety sailed close to the shoreline.

Felucca

Although very few in number, the Jews settled principally in Cochin, where they established favorable relationships with the Indian community and rulers. By the late 17-18th centuries, the British in India

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provided skilled training in trade, economics and other scholarly pursuits. Jews availed themselves of the opportunities for training. Many of the educated Jews were able to travel elsewhere to China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia where they sought better economic opportunities. Jews assimilated with the Indian population and bore children of mixed races. The Gallery below demonstrates some of the earlier traditional dress and customs. More recent images depict Indian Jews in modern dress and practicing Orthodox rituals. After Independent, Israel helped to bring Indian Jews to Israel as new immigrants.

Gallery of Indian Jews

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Jews of China

Jews have been noted in China since the 8th century, during the Song Dynasty. They established several communities in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Yangzhou and Ningxia. In the 13th century during the Qing Dynasty, Iraqi Jews arrived, who principally settled in Kaifeng. Intermarriages and assimilation occurred and the children bore Asiatic features. More recently, during the 19th and 20th centuries, Jewish merchants established trade in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Harbin. Trade relationships between Israel and China are age-old. After the Communist Revolution in 1949, most of the Jewish families fled to Hong Kong, and later spread to Singapore and elsewhere in Southeast Asia and North America.

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Chinese Jewish Children Display Judaica

Adorable Chinese Jewish Children of Mixed Ethnicity

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Chinese Jews Praying and Wearing Tallit

Chinese Jews Applying Tefillin

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Rabbi Demonstrating Customs With Chinese Jews

Young Chinese Men Reciting Prayers, Wearing Tefillin

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Chassidic Chinese

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Chinese Jews of Israel

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Mixed “Chewish” Couple - Chinese and Jewish

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Chinese Jews Interested in Confusion Philosophy

Wall Hanging of an Ancient Chinese Synagogue

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Chapter 15

Ottoman Sephardim

Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II recognized the political miscalculation of Spain and Portugal when they evicted Jews who would not adopt Catholicism. The Ottomans eagerly sought the skills of the Jews who departed Iberia. Sephardim enjoyed the protection of the Sultans, adopted Turkish customs, foods, dress and language. The Sephardim spoke the Spanish Yiddish known as Ladino, but incorporated the Turkish language.

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Ottoman Style Sephardic Kosher Foods

Lamb Shanks for Passover

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Fish

Berek

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Chapter 16

Conversos

Diaspora of the Secret Jews

As a consequence of the Inquisition, there were religious options offered to the Sephardim of Spain and Portugal. The Jews could adopt Catholicism, deny Christianity and be executed, be evicted and migrate elsewhere to Europe, or become subjects of the Ottoman Empire. One additional solution was possible; they could adopt Catholicism, but remain “Secret Jews.” The name, “Conversos” was used to identify those who coveted the secret, which was sustained by the women even until modern times.11

Map Illustrates Migration of Sephardim to Europe

11Alexy, Trudi, The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1993.

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Map Illustrates European Cities With Large Jewish Populations

Map Illustrates Sephardim Destinations to Ottoman Regions

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Map of Ottoman Empire

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Chapter 17

Jews of the New World

Central and South America Exploration of the New World opened vast opportunities for “Conversos” to leave Spain and Portugal to seek better prospects. Royal declarations forbade Jews from venturing to the New World. It was the Secret Jews, who had the options for travel. Documents, cultural practices, foods, music and eventually the establishment of Jewish communities in Latin America and the Caribbean region support the evidence for the occasions of numerous Jewish migrations to the New World. The first synagogue was established in Curacao in 1650s. The first synagogue in North America was established in Newport, Rhode Island in 1763. As a consequence of the racial intermarriages, there are Jews who appear African or Latin, as well as Caucasian.

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Columbia

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Brazil Synagogue

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Argentina

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Caribbean Region

Map of Caribbean Islands

Judaic Historical Illustration from Caribbean

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Barbados Synagogue

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Cuba

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Surinam

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Caribbean Chassidim

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Joy of Manischewitz Sacramental Wine

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Chapter 18

Second Diaspora, Circa 20th Century

Russia Anti-Semitic uprisings and belligerent national behaviors during the 20th century resulted in renewed diasporas of Jewish communities. The most apparent of the migrations were from Russia, Iran, Africa and South Africa. To avoid the harsh restrictions against Jewish employment, educational opportunities, religious practices or even imprisonment or death, Jews were forced to leave their native countries. Restrictions from emigration delayed or prevented them from leaving. It required International political pressure, especially from the United States diplomats to gain approval for the eventual departure of the Jews. Jews mostly sought to enter Europe, Israel and America. Others found their way to Canada and Latin America

Russian Refuseniks: Natan Sharansky, Vladimir Slepak and

Elie Wiesel

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Russian Denial of Jewish Military Participation

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Iran

Muslim Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini

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Persian Jewry Since Babylonian Conquest of Jerusalem 586 BCE

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Africa & South Africa

De Klerk, Final President of Apartheid South Africa

New President, Nelson Mandela Poses With Jewish Leaders

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Egyptian Jews

Egyptian Jews

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North African Anti-Jewish Rebellion

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Post Script

Our Semitic speaking ancestors migrated from Georgia, Caucasus, to Anatolia during the 6th century BCE. They remained part of the Georgian Kura Araxes culture, which next appeared in Antioch by the 4th century BCE. Several centuries later, the families continued to migrate southward through the Amuq watershed east of Antioch down the Orontes River system to present-day Lebanon, which was then part of Syria. By 2,800 BCE, the cultural artifacts were found at Tel Bet Yerah, a Hebrew settlement excavated along the Southwestern border of the Sea of Galilee. Overlaying a map of the Northern Kingdom of Israel shows that our ancestral location was within the boundary of the Hebrew Tribe of Naphtali. Please note that our monotheistic Patriarch, Abraham, was born in Ur, Mesopotamia, about 2,800 BCE, which was contemporary with the migration of our ancestors to Northern Israel. Jewish communities appeared after 2,800, the date ascribed to the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt. Judaism spread throughout the Levant after the Mosaic followers emerged from their flight from Egypt. A summary of important historical dates:

• Patriarch Abraham born 2,800 BCE. • Semitic speaking Semites from the Syrian desert migrated to the

Eastern Nile Delta ~1,500 BCE. • Descendants of Abraham, House of Joseph migrated to the Eastern Nile

Delta after severe droughts in the Levant - Circa 1,400 BCE • Hyksos migrated to the Nile Delta Circa 1,600s BCE and established a

thriving kingdom, several leaders emerged as Pharaohs. • Mosaic Exodus from Egypt 1,280 BCE. • Kingdoms of Israel and Judah appeared by the 10th century BCE. • There were 12 major Hebrew tribes by the 10th century BCE.

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• Our Cherkinsky and Solomon genomic ancestors exited Palestine in the 8th century CE; date supported by Y-DNA mutations (SNP).

• The DNA results confirm our Ashkenazi Judaic identity in Europe. Our ancestors probably migrated to Northern Italy before progressing to Western Europe. Most likely they were traders, whose geo-political and economic trading base was probably Cologne, Germany.

• The Treaty of Lublin was signed in 1569, authenticating the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania.

• Polish king Casimir I invited Jews to Poland with other Western Europeans to settle in the eastern region of the Commonwealth, provided assurances to the Jewish communities for safety. The key issue was to settle the rural Southeast regions of the Commonwealth and impair access and prevent further invasions by the Ottomans, Byzantines and any returning Mongol/Tatars.

• With the Partitions of the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania in 1772, 1792 and 1795, the Commonwealth was dismembered by Russia, Prussia and Austria. Poland ceased to exist and was removed from maps.

• The Pale of Settlement was decreed by Russian Empress, Catherine the Great, in 1798, which placed geo-political borders around the newly acquired Jewish communities. Polish and Lithuanian borders were re-established only after World War I ended in 1918. This manuscript has identified evidence of the major migrations of Jewish communities from pre-historic periods. Hebrew religion and traditions appeared in the Levant after the Exodus from Egypt. There were both decreed and voluntary migrations, as a result of both the Assyrian conquest of Northern Israel in 721 BCE, as well as after the Babylonian invasion that subjugated Jerusalem in 597 BCE. Thousands of Hebrew leaders were forced to March to Babylon. Persia then conquered Babylon. Cyrus I, king of Persia, permitted the return to Israel of willing exiles; he also helped to rebuild the 2nd Temple. There were other Hebrews who chose to emigrate elsewhere. The exodus of Hebrews continued after the conquests by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE and the Roman invasion in the 1st century BCE. Exiled Jewish communities are also known as the Pluralistic Jewish communities. Their migrations are known as the “Diasporas.” Some exiles remained nomadic, others became urbanized. The communities

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are widely spread from the Indus region, China, Northern Persia, the Caucasus, Southern Russia, Crimea, Syria, Iraq and Anatolia, Sinai, Egypt, Yemen, and North Africa from Libya to Morocco. The Jewish communities were permitted to migrate and trade at the furthest borders of each ensuing empire. Thus, newer Jewish settlements appeared among the Greek colonies beginning about 5th century BCE, including the Black Sea region of Northern Turkey. Jews travelled to the limits of the Roman Empire beginning in the 1st century BCE. After the crusades, Christian merchants were prohibited from trading over the “Silk Routes.” Jewish merchants, however, replaced the Christians. The Jewish traders were known as Radanites. They travelled the known world, both land and sea routes; they spoke many languages with ease and were skilled navigators and traders. Muslim sultans within the Islamic empire, particularly states along North Africa and the Middle East engaged the Jewish merchants as ambassadors to the Imperial Courts of Europe, who would not countenance Arabs or Muslims. Those special traders were known as the “Sultan’s Jews.” The Jews who served the Islamic Sultans served very responsibly and were well rewarded financially. Many of those families gained exceptional financial fortunes. Their children intermarried and established trading dynasties throughout the Mediterranean region, Iberia, and the Near East and retained key interests and roles in Silk Road trading. Most importantly, the ancient Judaic traditions were conserved among the disparate communities of the many early Diasporas. In the most remote Jewish settlements, even among the nomads, the Torah was worshiped and the clan retained Aramaic as its lingua franca. Major conflicts among Jewish clans and Muslim tribes increased with the advent of Islam in the 7th century CE. As a result, Jewish nomads, as well as urban dwellers began to return to Palestine. Other communities of the Diaspora noted a degree of assimilation within their locations, although the majority of Jews retained their identities. No matter the region, ethnic identity, customs or koshering of available foods, Jews retained their Hebrew literacy and many continued fluencies with Aramaic. After the Independence of Israel in 1949, the government recognized the urgency of airlifting at-risk Jews from the conflicted areas of the Middle East regions. Huge populations of Jews were secretly flown to Israel from Arabia, Yemen, Ethiopia, Egypt and North Africa, among

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others. Additional Jewish communities were brought out from Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Many of them were Aramaic speakers. In Israel, they were required to speak modern Hebrew, whereas in the past, Hebrew was the spiritual language of the Torah; Israel adopted modern Hebrew as the lingua franca of their civil society. Years ago, Judaic traditions were classified as Ashkenazi (European); Sephardi (Spain/Portugal) and Mizrahi (Oriental). I have presented data and illustrations of many additional variations of Judaic practices. As an example, there are about 38 dialects of Yiddish, considerable variation of their customs of koshering, synagogue rituals, costumes, and civil behavior. Jews do not look alike. I suggest reviewing the illustrations that are included in this manuscript. Note the complexion of their skin, the slant of their eyes, color of hair, and the weathering of their skin due to excessive sun exposure. Note, as well, their retention of Judaic traditions whether they are urban Jews or nomadic migrants. Pesach was just as spiritual and wonderful whether performed under a goat-skin tent in the desert, a mountain mud house with thatched roof or an elegant urban apartment.

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Bibliography Alexy, Trudi, The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1993. Ben-Zvi, Itshak: The Exiled and the Redeemed, The Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, 1957. Blady, Ken: Jewish Communities in Exotic Places, Jason Aronson, Inc., Jerusalem, Northvale, New Jersey, 2000. Brauer, Erich and Raphael Patai: The Jews of Kurdistan, Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan, 1993. Kreyenbrock, Philip & Christine Allison: Kurdish Culture and Identity, The Centre of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, London, United Kingdom, 1996. Levy, Habib, Comprehensive History of the Jews of Iran, The Outset of the Diaspora, Mazda Publishers, Costa Mesa, California, 1999. Lowenstein, Steven M.: The Jewish Cultural Tapestry, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000. Sabar, Ariel, My Father’s Paradise, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2009. Schroeter, Daniel J., The Sultan’s Jew, Morocco and the Sephardi World, Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 2002. Shwartz-Be’eri, Ora: The Jews of Kurdistan, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2000. Tobias, Henry J., A History of te Jw3s in New Mexico, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1990.